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– 1 – BOURNEMOUTH, CHRISTCHURCH AND POOLE COUNCIL COUNCIL Minutes of the Meeting held on 23 March 2021 at 6.00 pm Present:- Cllr D A Flagg – Chairman Cllr L Fear – Vice-Chairman Present: Cllr H Allen, Cllr L Allison, Cllr M Anderson, Cllr S C Anderson, Cllr M Andrews, Cllr J Bagwell, Cllr S Baron, Cllr S Bartlett, Cllr J Beesley, Cllr D Borthwick, Cllr P Broadhead, Cllr M F Brooke, Cllr N Brooks, Cllr D Brown, Cllr S Bull, Cllr R Burton, Cllr D Butler, Cllr D Butt, Cllr J J Butt, Cllr E Coope, Cllr M Cox, Cllr M Davies, Cllr N Decent, Cllr L Dedman, Cllr B Dion, Cllr B Dove, Cllr B Dunlop, Cllr M Earl, Cllr J Edwards, Cllr L-J Evans, Cllr G Farquhar, Cllr D Farr, Cllr A Filer, Cllr N C Geary, Cllr M Greene, Cllr N Greene, Cllr A Hadley, Cllr M Haines, Cllr P R A Hall, Cllr N Hedges, Cllr P Hilliard, Cllr M Howell, Cllr M Iyengar, Cllr C Johnson, Cllr T Johnson, Cllr A Jones, Cllr J Kelly, Cllr D Kelsey, Cllr R Lawton, Cllr M Le Poidevin, Cllr L Lewis, Cllr R Maidment, Cllr C Matthews, Cllr S McCormack, Cllr D Mellor, Cllr P Miles, Cllr S Moore, Cllr L Northover, Cllr T O'Neill, Cllr S Phillips, Cllr M Phipps, Cllr K Rampton, Cllr Dr F Rice, Cllr C Rigby, Cllr R Rocca, Cllr M Robson, Cllr V Slade, Cllr A M Stribley, Cllr T Trent, Cllr M White, Cllr L Williams and Cllr K Wilson 78. Apologies No apologies had been received for this meeting. 79. Declarations of Interests The following declarations were made: Councillor Mark Anderson declared a disclosable pecuniary interest in respect of item 7f - Cabinet 10 March 2021 - Minute No 315 - Sale of Christchurch By-Pass by virtue of his wife being employed by Waitrose and confirmed that he would not speak or vote on this item. Councillor Sandra Moore declared a personal interest in respect of item 7e - Cabinet 10 March 2021 – Minute No 313 – Children and Young People’s Partnership Plan 2021-2024 as a trustee and Member of the Teachers Trust and the Education Alliance for Canford Heath. Councillor Sarah Anderson declared a disclosable pecuniary interest in respect of item 7f - Cabinet 10 March 2021 - Minute No 315 - Sale of Christchurch By-Pass by virtue of being employed by Waitrose and confirmed that she would not speak or vote on this item. – 2 – COUNCIL 23 March 2021 80. Confirmation of Minutes The Minutes of the Ordinary Council meeting on 23 February 2021 were confirmed. 81. Announcements and Introductions from the Chairman The Chairman made the following announcements: A Death of Former Bournemouth Borough Councillor Eric Smith The Chairman reported with sadness, the death of Eric Smith, former Bournemouth Borough Councillor for Winton and Moordown Wards. The Chairman called on Councillor Filer to say a few words. She paid tribute to Eric Smith for his service to Bournemouth Borough Council. The Council paid tribute to Eric Smith with a minute silence. B ‘Beacon of Remembrance” The Chairman reported that today marked the anniversary of the first Covid lockdown. He explained that as part of a day of remembrance at 8pm there would be a ‘Beacon of Remembrance’. He proposed to adjourn the meeting at 7.55pm until 8.05 pm to allow Councillors to participate if they wished. C Motion on Carers The Chairman advised Councillors that the Motion deferred from the Council meeting on 23 February 2021 on the above had been withdrawn in accordance with the Constitution and therefore did not appear on the agenda for today’s meeting. 82. Public Issues The Chairman reported a follows: A – Public Questions In accordance with the Constitution the following public questions had been published on the website and a link circulated to all Councillors. Responses to these questions had also been published on the website: Chrissie Morris Brady on non-permeable driveways Samantha March on the Arts and Makers Market Bournemouth Gardens Don Nutt on Keyhole Bridge Ian Clark on the Shack Café in Muscliff Park Phil Stanley on end of the emergency legislation on remote meetings – 3 – COUNCIL 23 March 2021 B – Statements In accordance with the Constitution the following statement had been published on the website and a link circulated to all Councillors. Phil Stanley – on a memorial for those affected by the pandemic C – Petitions There were no petitions submitted for this Council meeting. 83. Questions from Councillors Question from Councillor Mark Howell The budget has allocated approximately £400,000 for completion of the planning process for development of housing on Turlin Moor playing fields. This clearly demonstrates an intention to proceed with the scheme, which was initiated by the Borough of Poole, following the planned consultation. How does the Council intend to fund the build-out of the scheme, what level of certainty is there as to the availability of funding and when can we expect to see proposals for re-siting of the football pitches? Reply from Councillor Philip Broadhead, Portfolio Holder for Regeneration, Economy and Strategic Planning and Deputy Leader of the Council The project was commenced by the former Borough of Poole with the intention that once a Planning consent was achieved, a full business case would be prepared and the Council would then make the decision as to how the project would then be taken forward. The options at that time were to include disposal of the site, once the remediation works were completed, or the selection of a joint venture partner to work with the Council. The site remains a significant allocated housing site, but as I’ve pledged again and again, we can only take the next steps if we bring the local community along with us, and that starts with full and proper local consultation. I’m pleased to say that work to begin this process and do it properly has started in earnest with the Ward Councillors alongside myself and Cllr Jane Kelly as the Lead Member for Community Engagement. Our aim is to show how to listen properly to the locally community and not bully them into something by telling them that we know best. Once the parameters for a scheme is finalised following that resident consultation, then the business case will be developed. Prior to any planning application being submitted, the business case with the various options will need to be considered by Council. The capital funding requirements for the project will form part of that business case together with any grant opportunities which may be suitable for the project. I’m delighted to confirm that Homes England have committed that they would welcome a further funding bid if there are – 4 – COUNCIL 23 March 2021 suitable funding programmes available and once the project has more certainty. With regard to the background work for the project, that is at the stage where most of the site investigation works and surveys have been completed, but there are still some site surveys needed to be able to conclude the technical options for the sports pitch provision. At the current time the additional surveys are on hold until that full engagement can take place, face to face, with the local community. As part of that process, we will clearly need to fully engage with the local sports clubs regarding the football pitches as part of the process to come. The time scales of this are as yet unknown but those conversations and consultations will start again when lockdown eases. Councillor Howell referred to the sports pitches and the housing numbers required by the Government which was 2,500 a year. He asked if the Portfolio Holder would agree that it was essential that the capacity of the sports pitches was not lost and that for this project new sports pitches should be in place before the existing pitches were taken out of service. The Cabinet Member indicated that he fully agreed that it was necessary to have a strategic approach taking account of housing and sporting provision. He highlighted the importance of community engagement which was paramount to achieve a joined-up approach. Question from Councillor Chris Rigby With the work due to start on replacing the aviary in Bournemouth Lower Gardens as well as Westover Gardens Art and Makers Market, the traders are concerned about a significant loss of earnings. In the current climate, we need to be stepping up support for our local artists and traders, a large number of whom slipped through the cracks in the Covid support schemes. By making a commitment to not only continue the existing Market but expand it across the conurbation BCP Council can demonstrate their support to our small local businesses. Therefore, would the portfolio holder be able to confirm that the traders who use this space, will have a suitable alternative site provided at the current rate they’re being charged whilst the works are ongoing? Further to this could the Council investigate new suitable sites for Art and Makers Markets to be held in both Poole and Christchurch this summer? Reply from Councillor Mohan Iyengar, Cabinet Member for Tourism, Leisure and Culture The market won’t be closing for construction during the peak period. Summer trading is important so the market and aviary will stay as-is and open through to early September, subject of course to Government rules around lockdown and easing. There will also be a spring-clean of the site before the summer starts. But also, I think most people would agree the market and the aviary need some improvement.